The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in Nigeria has once again voiced its opposition to the ongoing conversion of polytechnics into full-fledged universities, urging the government to adopt a dual mandate system instead.
ASUP President, Mr. Kpanja Shammah, made this known in an exclusive interview with the Nigerian Tribune while reacting to the recent upgrade of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) in Lagos to a university by the Federal Government.
According to Shammah, rather than converting polytechnics into universities, the government should allow them to run both Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) programs concurrently. He emphasized that both qualifications should hold equal status in the labor market to eliminate the long-standing disparity between HND and university degrees.
“This system will allow students to choose between pursuing an HND or a B.Tech degree within the same institution, ensuring that graduates follow their respective career paths without facing discrimination,” Shammah explained.
He further expressed confidence in the ability of the current National Assembly and the Presidency to pass legislation that would finally end the dichotomy between HND and BSc qualifications, a contentious issue that has lingered for years.
While acknowledging that previous governments failed to resolve the matter, Shammah expressed optimism that the bill aimed at eliminating the disparity would eventually become law under the present administration.
